Connecticut Recyclers Coalition

The CRC’s 2007 annual meeting was one of its most highly attended, and for good reason.   Members and guests dealt with three issues of extreme importance to the CRC.

SINGLE STREAM

The CRC board felt the increasing role of single stream recycling to be so important that it was chosen for the day’s presentation. By combining commingled containers together with paper, single stream increases hauling efficiencies while creating some processing challenges.   Whether this innovation will be, in the long run, beneficial to the recycling industry and the environment as a whole, is subject to intense debate.

The CRC was delighted to bring two knowledgeable speakers to address the issue.   Sean Duffy, president and founder of FCR Recycling, and regional vice president for Casella (solid) waste spoke largely from an operational perspective.   Fran McPoland, Washington representative for the Paper Recycling Coalition, offered a point of view from the paper industry.

STRAW POLL: BOTTLE BILL

The CRC felt it important to hold two straw polls this year.   Leadership needed feedback from members on whether to change existing policies with respect to two important issues. The first of these was on the bottle bill. The CRC has traditionally defended the current law which places a 5 cent deposit on containers used for beer, soda and similar beverages. The CRC has also sought to enhance the legislation through expansion of the list of deposit items (to include water bottles, for example).

The poll determined that the CRC membership, by more than a 3-to-1 ratio, supports these positions. A number of members also put forth that recovering the escheats (deposits unclaimed because the containers are not redeemed) and increasing the deposit from 5 to 10 cents were as or more important than expanding the list of deposit containers. As such the CRC will continue to defend the existing law and work to expand it.

STRAW POLL: NRC AFFILIATION

Following allegations that the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) had violated its own stance of neutrality on bottle bills through efforts made in the Connecticut Legislative Office Building (LOB) and a follow-up letter to its membership, several members of the CRC suggested that the CRC consider disaffiliation from the NRC. To determine whether this was the prevailing sentiment, the CRC leadership decided to hold the straw poll. NRC executive director, Kate Krebs, and president, David Refkin, traveled to Hartford for the annual meeting to answer questions regarding these issues.

The poll determined that CRC members are strongly in favor or remaining affiliated with the NRC.   One question posed by the audience regarded the potential influence the NRC might experience from large donors in the beverage industry.   NRC funding information was to be posted on the NRC site but is still unavailable as of 2/21/2008.

Download:
• The Elephant in the Room (700 KB) [Powerpoint]
• A Processor and Marketer's View of Single Stream Recycling (16.7 MB) [Powerpoint]